ArcaMax

I don't travel to become someone new. If anything, travel makes it clear to how many versions of myself were already there.

There is the practical version of me, the one who moves through airports with a kind of quiet competence. The one who makes the flight, finds the hotel, knows when to speak and when to listen. And then there are the other ...Read more

Dear Annie: I used to think I had decent self-control. Now I'm not so sure.

Somewhere along the way, Instagram became the background music of my life. I wake up and reach for my phone before my eyes are fully open. I tell myself I'm just checking the weather or answering a text, but my thumb already knows the route: Instagram, stories, scroll...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My sister lost her job six months ago and hasn't been able to find a new one. She worked in tech for 10 years at some great companies, but she hasn't found any success. She recently asked if she could move into the spare bedroom in my family's house because she has blown through all of her savings. I told her that I'll have to ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I went to a dry cleaner's, paid up-front for my items and was told they would be ready by 4 p.m. on Friday. So on Friday at 4 p.m., I went to pick up my dry cleaning.

The lady asked me if I had received a text. I said "no," but I could see my items and pointed them out to her. She said that I had to wait for a text, but I ...Read more

Dear Annie: I love your advice and the fact you're able to cut to the chase. I find myself in need of your level head, too!

I've been (mostly) happily married for 26 years. My husband is very gregarious and never met a stranger. In fact, he happily opens up his life to anyone and everyone. I feel like he constantly overshares, but as long as ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: How should I handle in-laws who show up three or more hours early for dinner and just sit at the kitchen counter? I have things to do; I don't have time to entertain them, and I can't persuade them to leave the kitchen. It really puts a damper on my final prep and last-minute cleaning. I don't want to be rude. They are nice people, ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I've been married to my husband for about 10 years now, and we have two kids together. My husband is a great provider. He is comforting and stable. To maintain our household, he works most of the week, and when he is home, he's tired. I understand the difficulties of paying bills and keeping yourself afloat, so I do not take ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I live in a vintage three-flat condo building in Chicago. One recent morning at 6, I received a text from my downstairs neighbor that read, "Tell your niece or nephew to stop running in the hallway. It's very loud."

I was a bit stunned. My 2-year-old niece had, in fact, briefly run down the hallway -- but it was a single ...Read more

Dear Annie: My friend insists on splitting every restaurant bill "evenly," no matter what. The problem is, she always orders cocktails and appetizers, while I usually stick to one entree.

Last week, my $22 dinner somehow became $48 after the "split." When I suggested we each pay for what we ordered, she laughed and said, "That's so much more ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My husband of 50 years sits in his chair for hours at a time making online purchases he thinks are a necessity or just plain intriguing. We get two or three packages a day, which usually consist of "Buy two and get a third one free" -- fruit corers, citrus squeezers, air fresheners, car-washing supplies, cellphone holders, etc.

What'...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have had the same best friend for nearly a decade -- since middle school. Due to the length of our friendship, I have gotten close with her and her family, even going on trips with them. I've noticed lately that I have started to develop feelings for her brother. He's a year younger than us and consistently accompanies us on ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I am casual friends with D and F. We all became friends when our boys were in elementary school, but now the boys are grown and we see each other infrequently, only getting together every couple of years.

A few years ago, D sent F a Christmas card, but sent it to our address accidentally. (I don't exchange Christmas cards ...Read more

Dear Annie: My neighbor and I became friendly during the pandemic. We'd pick up things for each other at the grocery store, help water each other's plants, chat on our porches in the evening.

Somewhere along the way, she decided we were much closer than I did. Now she'll drop by unannounced and even text things like, "I miss you, haven't seen...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My mother passed away recently. She suffered from dementia and was a cancer survivor, but she lived well into her 80s. It was difficult for me to witness her mental decline when I spoke to her on the phone or visited her occasionally in the nursing home. She lived near my sister, so my sister had a much closer relationship with her ...Read more

Once you've interviewed and put into place the professionals who will be the backbone of your security system, it's time to think about the ones who help maintain your physical well-being. To begin, make a list of the examinations basic to your health -- e.g., Pap test, gynecological exam, dental checkup, mammogram, echogram, annual physical ...Read more